Curdled milk helps in the treatment of chronic gastritis, caused by, for example, excessive consumption of aspirin or aspirin, the World Journal of Gastroenterology reports.
Gastritis is a disease widespread in the world, caused by the disruption of the continuity of the gastric mucosa under the influence of various factors, such as alcohol, stress, infection with Helicobacter pylori bacteria (causing ulcers) and excessive use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, e.g. acetylsalicylic acid (present in aspirin or polopyrin) ).
This compound damages the cells of the gastric mucosa, which causes an imbalance between the secretion of protective mucus components (mucins) and the digestive enzyme – pepsin. It is accompanied by intensification of inflammatory processes in the stomach.
Previous studies have shown that in various diseases of the digestive system, such as gastric ulcer disease, intestinal inflammation or diarrhea accompanying antibiotic therapy, good therapeutic effects can be obtained by using probiotics. These are live cultures of microorganisms – bacteria or yeasts – that, when consumed in adequate amounts, provide health benefits. They are sold in the form of preparations or added to food products, mainly dairy, such as kefirs, yoghurts, etc. The products of metabolism of these microorganisms (e.g. exopolysaccharides), which favor the growth of normal bacterial flora in our body, also exhibit pro-health properties.
Argentine scientists from the Universidad National de Tucuman in San Migiel de Tucuman checked whether probiotics can also help in the treatment of gastritis. To this end, they conducted studies in mice with chronic acetylsalicylic acid gastritis.
For 7 days, one group of animals was fed with milk fermented by Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria of the CRL 1190 strain and containing exopolysaccharides formed during the fermentation process. For comparison, some rodents received a drug called omeprazole, the standard used for gastritis.
It turned out that the curdled milk gave good results in the treatment of this condition, comparable to omeprazole. It worked by modifying the functions of the immune system – it has been reported, inter alia, a decrease in the production of pro-inflammatory compounds by immune cells (such as interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha) and an increase in the production of an inflammation-relieving compound (interleukin-10). Rodents fed curdled milk also had thicker and better preserved gastric mucosa.
According to the authors of the study, these results indicate that curdled milk and exopolysaccharides contained in it may be a potential alternative to drugs in the prevention and treatment of gastric mucosa damage caused by acetylsalicylic acid. (PAP)
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